Evaluation of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) outflows during the destruction of HBCD wastes in a hazardous waste incinerator.

This paper presents an evaluation of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) outflows during the destruction of HBCD waste stockpiles in IZAYDAS Hazardous Waste Incinerator (HWI) in Kocaeli, Türkiye. HBCD wastes containing 100 % pure HBCD were in 25 kg packages with 63 % Br content were co-incinerated in a 3-day test burn with average feed rate of 26 kg/h. HBCD, PBDD/Fs and PCDD/Fs were measured in the outlet streams to quantify the amount of unintended POPs releases associated with the processing of HBCD waste and to observe the POP removal performance of air pollution control equipment (APCE) of the incinerator. Total mass outflow rate of HBCDs is calculated as 2.6 g/day, corresponding to destruction efficiency of 99.9996 %. Total toxicity of the brominated dioxins was measured as 0.00044 ng TEQ/Nm3 on average, while highly brominated congeners are dominant. PCDD/F concentrations in the outflow streams during HBCD test burns are produced similar congener distributions with those given in the previous studies, with the dominance of 7,8-chlorinated congeners. Mass flows in the outlet streams indicated that the efficiency of ESP and wet scrubbers for the removal of PCDD/Fs and HBCDs. Flue gas concentrations of PCDD/Fs, HBCDs and PBDD/Fs obtained in HBCD burn test indicated that burning HBCD wastes cause no significant emissions as operational parameters and total halogen content in the menu are kept within the incinerator limits.

Determination of 117 endocrine disruptors (EDCs) in water using SBSE TD-GC-MS/MS under the European Water Framework Directive.

The aim of this work is the highly sensitive determination of 117 contaminants in surface waters at very low concentrations. Gas chromatography-amenable priority compounds from the European Water Framework Directive (EWFD, 45 priority substances) and substances from the Turkish Regulation on the Management of Surface Water Quality (TRMSWQ, 250 substances) were analyzed. Almost a third to one half of the compounds in the TRMSWQ list were successfully detected in a single gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) injection. Analyzing these pollutants in water samples is difficult with conventional extraction methods. An efficient, easy and fast method for both extraction and analysis is thus important. Here, the stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) approach employing Twister® was used for analyte enrichment from 100 mL water samples. The Twister apparatus was used for thermal desorption. Compounds were separated via gas chromatography (GC) and detected by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) utilizing an Agilent 7000D MS instrument. The analysis method was comprehensively validated, and complied with the requirements of the EWFD and Turkish regulation for surface water quality for inland surface water. The method includes various endocrine disruptor compounds listed in the EWFD, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatics hydrocarbons, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, phenols, phthalates and pesticides. The method is also applicable for the analysis of similar contaminants that are not on this list. The analyzed pollutants have varying polarities based on octanol-water coefficients and are extracted by SBSE. This method may be preferred for the analysis of pollutants with an octanol-water partition coefficient (log Ko/w) higher than 2. The SBSE method, which is easy, lab-friendly and quick, taking a total of only 2 h for parameter analysis, was optimized to reduce time and chemical usage. The entire extraction and analysis was completed in virtually 3 h. The limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 0.12 to 50 ng/L and complied with the requirements for analytical methods to be used in the analysis of the compounds included in the directives. Several quality parameters including linearity, trueness and precision were studied, with good results, and uncertainty was also estimated. Precision (in terms of relative standard deviation [RSD]) was lower than 40%, recoveries ranged from 60 to 120%, and determination coefficients were higher than 0.990 for all analytes. Graphical abstract.

Analysis of Veterinary Drug and Pesticide Residues Using the Ethyl Acetate Multiclass/Multiresidue Method in Milk by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

A rapid and simple multiclass, ethyl acetate (EtOAc) multiresidue method based on liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) detection was developed for the determination and quantification of 26 veterinary drugs and 187 total pesticide residues in milk. Sample preparation was a simple procedure based on liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate containing 0.1% acetic acid, followed by centrifugation and evaporation of the supernatant. The residue was dissolved in ethyl acetate with 0.1% acetic acid and centrifuged prior to LC-MS/MS analysis. Chromatographic separation of analytes was performed on an Inertsil X-Terra C18 column with acetic acid in methanol and water gradient. The repeatability and reproducibility were in the range of 2 to 13% and 6 to 16%, respectively. The average recoveries ranged from 75 to 120% with the RSD (n = 18). The developed method was validated according to the criteria set in Commission Decision 2002/657/EC and SANTE/11945/2015. The validated methodology represents a fast and cheap alternative for the simultaneous analysis of veterinary drug and pesticide residues which can be easily extended to other compounds and matrices.